Linux From Scratch - Version 7.1-rc1

Chapter 5. Constructing a Temporary System

5.35. Changing Ownership

Note

The commands in the remainder of this book must be performed while
logged in as user root and no
longer as user lfs. Also, double
check that $LFS is set in root's environment.

Currently, the $LFS/tools directory is
owned by the user lfs, a user that
exists only on the host system. If the $LFS/tools directory is kept as is, the files are
owned by a user ID without a corresponding account. This is dangerous
because a user account created later could get this same user ID and
would own the $LFS/tools directory and
all the files therein, thus exposing these files to possible
malicious manipulation.

To avoid this issue, you could add the lfs user to the new LFS system later when
creating the /etc/passwd file, taking
care to assign it the same user and group IDs as on the host system.
Better yet, change the ownership of the $LFS/tools directory to user root by running the following command:

chown -R root:root $LFS/tools

Although the $LFS/tools directory can
be deleted once the LFS system has been finished, it can be retained
to build additional LFS systems of the
same book version. How best to backup $LFS/tools is a matter of personal preference.

Caution

If you intend to keep the temporary tools for use in building
future LFS systems, now is
the time to back them up. Subsequent commands in chapter 6 will
alter the tools currently in place, rendering them useless for
future builds.